Eternal Sonata
by Vicent1995
Summary: Seasons go by, feelings and our loved ones stay there. AU where Kaori lives.
1. Chapter 1

**Having seen the ending of the anime and the manga (and after crying mentally up until people called me on it) I went on and thought on how things would have gone had Kaori made it (mostly to deny the heartbreaking truth) and thought a bit on it.**

 **This is my take on how things would go had she survived. May get a bit OoC. Just call me on it.**

 **Chapter 1. Death**

"We're losing her!" bellowed one of the surgeons. "The heart just stopped beating!"

"Defibrillators, now!" shouted another of the four doctors.

At the moment they were all fighting desperately to keep the young girl alive, struggling to steer her from the abyss.

She wasn't aware of this, Kaori right now couldn't see nor understand what happened around nor inside her. Her mind had flown far away, fueled by the anesthetic Miyazono had been administered.

To her surprise, Miyazono found herself, clad in a pure white dress without any frills whatsoever, walking across an orchard full of trees bristling with oranges. The field didn't seem to have an end, reaching the horizon and most likely spreading beyond it.  
'Where I am?'

She asked with a shout whether or not there was anyone in the proximity. Silence was all she received. Unsure what to do, Kaori settled on following the dirt road that stretched endlessly.

'I wonder if this is the afterlife. If so, no wonder nobody wants to die, it's so dull!'

But, she had to admit it was peaceful. The silence was only interrupted by the occasional breeze that ruffled the foliage of the trees. If anyone asked, this was the image a painting portrayed, still and eternal. After a while, she felt relaxed and more at ease.

"Once you get a hang of it, this feels nice."

Kaori nearly flipped when she heard the man next to her.

"WAH- Sir don't speak all of a sudden without introducing yourself!" Moaned the young violinist.

The old chubby man rose, turning his weary eyes towards the energetic youth. They seemed saddened and tired. While scratching his white beard, the man sighed.

"Young people like you are always too hard deal with at first. You never come to terms with reality."

For a couple of seconds neither Kaori nor the old man spoke, the latter letting the words sink in.

"I am dead," said Kaori, her eyes opening like platters when she realized what he meant. "This is a drug fueled dream," concluded the violinist as her voice cracked slightly.

"And now you're going to say: I'm not ready for this!" said Death, the old man, as he wiped his sweat with his Hawaiian shirt. "Though to be honest, who is ready to depart this wonderful world when there's so many to do?"

It was true. She wanted to eat so many things, to visit so many places and play so many songs. And chief of all was doing anything, ANYTHING, with Kousei. When she realized that she wouldn't play alongside him, or kiss him or do any of things she wanted to share with the man she loved… She just bursted into tears.

The old man smiled weakly as he hugged her.

"Death isn't a nice moment."

Death then broke into laughter.

"Luckily, this is not your time yet!" said the old man.  
Kaori was speechless, so puzzled her face had turned into the visual description of 'what?'

"You damn Japanese and your public healthcare system… Anyways thank your surgeons for saving your sorry ass: the patients' relatives have an ugly tendency to thank God instead of them!"

"Wait a second."  
Kaori's mind faded away as the old man in a Hawaiian shirt waved his arms in a gesture of farewell, warmly smiling and wishing her a good life.

"So ephemeral and weak. But it's shining with all its might. Thump, thump, like a hearbeat. This is the light of life," He smiled one last time, a single tear of joy falling down his left eye. "Please, treasure it."

-=0=-

"We have stabilized her!"

"Keep it on guys."

-=0=-

"Arima Kousei!"

Right then, the announcer declared Kousei as the winner. Tears flowed down his cheeks from both the emotion of the moment and the sadness he felt over losing Kaori. Knowing full well the operation had slim chances of success, a part of him battled to impose the sense of loss of a beloved one, never mind she might still be alive. That small part of his mind wanted his whole being to suffer. To pay for not daring, to not be man enough to show his true colors and feelings to Kaori, instead just settling for being friend A.

Right now he was just an automaton. Kousei grabbed the trophy and bowed stiffly, immediately leaving the stage. Kousei's friends, Tsubaki and Ryota, waited for the pianist expectantly. Both brunettes were in really good form thanks to regularly practicing sports, reinforcing the contrast with the now seemingly gaunt face of Kousei.

"Hooray for the winner!" Said Tsubaki as she lurched forward to embrace Kousei. "You were awesome!"  
"Well, I guess you didn't completely bomb it, as much as you feared you would." Commented Ryota with a proud smile. "Not tha-"

He was cut short by the song of his mobile phone. A number he didn't recognized was on the screen. Dubitative, the brunette answered.

"Watari-san?" It was Kaori's mother. "Are you available?"  
"Uhm, yes Mrs Miyazono, is it about Kaori-san?"

A heartbeat went by, no one saying anything else. Sakura Miyazono's next words trembled.

"She is alive, the doctors managed to save my daughter."

With this words, and almost as if they were in synchrony, Tsubaki and Ryota heard how both she and Kousei cried. Ryota thanked her about letting them know so soon and went on to comfort his friend. The three of them hugged tightly.

Wrong, Kousei's tears were of joy, of a heavy weight that pressed his heart freeing its deathly clutch. He was happy beyond understanding.  
Ryota could see Tsubaki, smiling too but hers was a slightly less happy one.  
'Arima thought he'd lose Kaori and he has her back. There's no way Tsubaki has any chance now.'

Had it been another person other than Tsubaki, Ryota would have felt sorry for her. Instead he felt sorry for himself… on second thought, ashamed of himself would be the right answer. Because he felt maybe Tsubaki would pay attention to him, giving Ryota a chance.

For well over a minute, the stream of tears didn't end. The two other friends joining in as Kousei's crying became countagious.

"It may be too late to visit her," Said Ryota as he sniffed and wiped the tears. "And most likely, we won't be allowed to visit her on a few days. Usually they want the minimum disturbances after such operations."

Kousei seemed a bit downcast for a couple of seconds. But he cheered up. After all, compared with eternity, what were a few days without the chance of seeing Kaori?

Hiroko-sensei approached the trio, her face marked by her cheerful smile.

"Boys we need to celebrate this! I'll bring you to a restaurant I know, it's all on Kousei!"

"I'm in!" Said Ryota enthusiastically.

"It will be fun," was Tsubaki's answer. "Kousei don't chicken out, I'm sure a certain violinist would have dragged you to the party had she had the chance."

"Sure," began Kousei, after all, they had just so many things to celebrate. "It will be fun to g-wait, what did you say about paying?"

 **Kinda anti-climatic I know, but there's more and better to come. Hope you enjoy.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2.-Truth.**

The first three days, the trio of friends went to the hospital only to receive a negative answer. The fourth day, when they were even willing to kneel and beg for pass, the nurse gave them the greenlight to enter Miyazono's room.

'Oh dear, I'm trembling from my nervousness.' Noted mentally Kousei. He was sick from worry. Sure, they said she was fine now. But was the illness dealt with? So 'easily'?

"Cheer up man," Admonished Tsubaki, slamming her palm on Kousei's back with a 'BAM!' ."we are seeing her after recovering up from an operation, not meeting at her funeral!"

"Sure she will need another intervention after seeing your face," Teased Watari. "I mean, I sure feel bad for seeing you with that face."

Both of them laughed softly, trying to invite Kousei to laugh to at their faked meanness as they-with a single arm each- grabbed Kousei's shoulders.

"Kaori we are here!" Announced Ryota."Your beloved one-and friends A and B- has come to visit you."  
Ryota had to play the act right at the very best moment: when Kaori's parents were inside the room. Hideo Miyazono was a bit temperamental on average but when it came with the addition of the words 'Kaori' and 'boys' in the same sentence... it better involve a very specific set of topics! Love being not included in that select club.

The man threw Ryota a murderous glare. The young football player shivered in fear, like a rabbit when a wolf suddenly caught him off-guard.

Luckily for Ryota, Kaori was awake. Her overall appearance was still a pale shadow from before entering the hospital. Still, a tad better from the days before the operation. She seemed weaker too, as her words didn't have the same intensity as they had before.

"Dad, don't worry, Ryota is just playing dummy."  
"Really?"  
"I mean, I don't have _that_ bad taste with guys."  
"I have to say I'm offended by that affirmation."  
"Though it's quite spot-on," commented Tsubaki.

"Help me Kousei," Ryota feigned a melodramatic tone as he brought his hand to the forehead. "They're bullying me."

At this point the four youths laughed heartily.

"Mom, Dad, would you kindly leave us alone for a while," Kaori made puppy eyes at his parents. "I'd like to get up to date with my FRIENDS," she placed a lot of emphasis on the word friends, seeing his father looked still a bit unsure about Ryota's statement. "In private."

"Of course dear," Declared her mother, whom was less overprotective. "Let's go on dear."

Once they left, the four students made relieved sight as the tension eased.

"We have never gone out, me and Ryota," said Kaori all of a sudden, right five seconds after her parents left, as she straightened up. "It was a lie."

Kousei's face was puzzled, only able to utter a four letter word.

"WHAT!?"

****  
 _ **Kaori's POV**_

That same morning, Kaori had started to think-or rather, overthink- on what she'd do. Considering she thought she wouldn't make it out of that operation, she had literally no idea what to do. Would she continue with the music school? Well, that one was a dead giveaway. Of course she would, she loved music with such a fervor one might say it was her personal drug.

What nagged her the most was, ironcally, her own friends. Up until that moment their relationship had been based on a lie because she didn't have the time (or so she thought) to form a tight bond with them from scratch.  
But now.

Kaori rubbed her face with both of her hands. Yes it seemed, on paper, so easy: just yell: "Dummy Kousei, I'm not dating Ryota! How can you be so blind as to think I have such a bad taste for boys!? You're the only one!"

Okay, no it wasn't that easy. He was highly likely to turn her down. And Kaori was likely to hurt Tsubaki. She was, all said and done, an outsider whom had snug in that beautiful triangle thanks to a lie. Did she really have the right to mess with them? It was beyond selfish.  
But she still wanted to see Kousei smile, play and be next to her. She wanted him to overcome his fears and become the great man he was meant to be. More importantly, she wanted to grow up and be a great woman with him. Play together in great stages and then laugh at each others nervousness prior the play. See the world with each other.

"That would be nice..." muttered the violinst whistfully.

But if she did that, then Tsubaki couln't enjoy similar things with Kousei. She was her friend, right? Did she have the right to do such a horrible thing? Of course not.

"Ugh, I feel my head will start to overheat soon, I'm thinking in circles now, since this is the second time I've thought of the exact same predicament in an hour."

A couple of minutes later, her parents came over to visit Kaori. The very first thing they did was to tightly hug her in tears. She couldn't hold them either.

"Dad-"  
"I still can't believe it," Said Hideo between sobs. "I still can't believe this miracle."  
"Just a good doctor and a bit of luck," Commented tearfully Kaori.

For half an hour they spoke and laughed joyfully. They seemed so relieved their little angel hadn't flown yet to heave... wait, did she really came up with such a phrase? Ugh.

Then her friends came all of a sudden, energetic and lively. Ryota made a very bad move, prompting her dad to get angry but in the end it got in nothing.

Thinking quickly, she came to a decission.

'I've been given a second chance. I thought I might die and gave up, but now I need to really be honest. Stop being a coward Kaori, people must be wicked and horrible sometimes... sorry Tsubaki, you deserve a better friend than me. A good friend wouldn't do this.'

Time to start the battle. This wouldn't be easy.

"We have never gone out, me and Ryota."

Kaori straigthened to better see her friends. 'Get ready' she heard herself say mentally.'Time for the show.'

"It was all a lie.'


	3. Chapter 3

**Japanese writers are tsunderes. They love to punish us, it's something I've learnt after seeing the works of the 5cm/second director. Goddangit, I shouldn't have decided to see my Japanese 'you're-going-to-cry-you-pansy-ass' collection. Welp, time to get over the angst and start with the 'fluff'.**

 **This is going to be OoC. Mostly because a chimp-out is going to happen is going to happen and no one will react to it 'normally'.**

 **Chapter 3.- Glorious trainwreck.**

"And instead you like Kousei," inmediately added Ryota."And he does like by the way. So yeah, your lying charade was mostly a waste of time."

Pandemonium broke loose at those words.

"The hell was that for!?" Roared in near unison the two musicians.

Tsubaki went and slapped him in the head with all her might. At that moment both Kousei and Kaori began blubblering incoherently at each other and the other.

"Look, had you gone and did it yourselves, you'd have been at it for years, being as indecisive as you're Kousei and being as worried as you're to break Tsubaki's heart, Kaori," Retorted Ryota seconds before Tsubaki grabbed him and started the procedure of strangling.

"Don't pay attention to what this idiot! Seriously what's wrong with you today!"

"Kaori what's the meaning of this!?" Bellowed her Father, whom had been spying the youths behind the door. Her wife tried to keep him still but he marched onwards to Kousei. "What's your intention with my daughter!?"

"ENOUGH!" Yelled Kaori, utterly fed up with the unfolding events. "Everyone minus him-she pointed at Kousei- out of the room NOW!"

Dumbfounded at the sudden burst of energy from the violinst, everyone obeyed and went out. Ryota thought that things had gone quite well. Of course he felt bad for his actions, the way he had meddled in was horrible. Still, now both of them would come face to face with their feelings, without fooling around and further hurting Tsubaki. He knew what he had done would crush Tsubaki's heart, but he prefered that rather than having her bleed down as time went on and they grew closer. His actions, he tried to convince himself, had been cruel and despicable but he did so for everyone's sake.

-=0=-

"Stupid Ryota, he didn't need to meddle."

Both Kaori and Kousei laughed as they said almost the same sentence in an interval of seconds. As the laugh died, a tense silence took over, neither of them muttering a word, just Kousei siting next to Kaori. That is, until Kaori broke it a minute after.

"I guess I could say he was lying and try to forget everything but..." she made a sad smile as she searched with her right hand beneath her pillow. "I wanted to give you via my parents had I not made it. But since I'm not dead I supose I shouldn't hide behind my parents and hand it myself," commented Kaori as she handed Kousei a letter.

Gulping hard, Kousei grabbed the envelope with shaky hands. Inmediately after opening it he started to read and from there onward he felt how the air was getting scarce. He felt a knot forming in his throat as he progressed through the heart felt confessions of the violinst. By the last and most emotive sentences of the woman whom affirmed to love him he couldn't hold his tears.

"You're too cruel, Kaori," complained Kousei as tears fell down. "Why you didn't tell me? If it was because you had little time it didn't matter! Just a second with you would have remained burnt in my memory for the rest of my life!"

Now Kaori was crying too.

"Dummy Kousei, why it took you such a dead giveaway to know the truth?"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry for being such a fool. I love you too."

And as they cried silently, both youths approached, their bodies closing the gap for their trembling lips to meet. Sealed tightly against each other in wholesome union. When they parted ways, their foreheads bumped against each other.

"I love you Kousei."  
"I love you Kaori."  
They laughed softly, now the tears that befell their cheeks of joy.

 **Kinda a dead giveaway, considering the name of the chapter. But hey I did this mostly because the whole scene of Kousei reads the letter was getting a bit old and overused. Is my choice a better one? Perhaps not, but I wanted to try to add a bit of a twist.**  
 **I've recently read Sangatsu no Lion (the lion comes in march). This is something I highly recommend, as it certainly has a few similarities with this series. But I think I like Sangatsu more. How to say it, you see the main character at the beginning he reminds you a lot of Kousei (both in appearance and quite a bit in character) and you get a bit of Kaori in the family that helps him. But the kick is how it develops, how strong the feelings turn. Flip from chapter 10 to chapter 90 and you see a completely (well, almost) different character, whom you'll have seen grow as the story progresses and be proud of him. A he becomes really manly, in my opinion, seeing how things go between chapter 104-110.**

 **By the way, I'm doing a crossover with Your lie in april and Soul Eater. Check out resonance.**


End file.
